The present invention relates to video gaming systems and, more particularly, to improvements in communications, accounting and security systems for video gaming machines.
In many areas, it is necessary to provide a relatively detailed accounting of each video gaming machine's activity to assure that the machine operates within regulated standards. Meters are often provided to track money input into and money dispensed from the machines. Because money may sometimes be inserted to a machine but not wagered, for example where a player inserts a certain amount of cash or credit but cashes out before betting the entire amount, the simple ratio of money in to money out does not accurately reflect the machine's operational activities. Accordingly, it is helpful to also track the amount of money wagered and the amount of money or credits won by the player.
In larger facilities such as casinos, a central computer typically monitors such information for a plurality of embedded system single player gaming machines through a “location controller.” Each video gaming machine serially communicates with the location controller to provide appropriate information to the central computer. If the central computer detects an irregularity regarding a particular game, it instructs the location controller to deactivate the game. An exemplary system including a location controller and embedded system circuitry at a video gaming machine for providing information to the location controller is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,361 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,079, the entire disclosure of each of these patents being incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.